My Prince
by Preciousblue
Summary: Who knew Shenron had such a nasty sense of humor? After finally making her wish for the perfect boyfriend (ahem, Prince) Bulma finds her world turned upside down. And how on Earth is she supposed to convince Vegeta to spare her life and her planet once she outlives her usefulness?
1. Chapter 1

A.N. Hey all! So this is my first time publishing on this site so bare with me as I get used to formatting and stuff. Also, the original idea for this fanfic spawns from Ariel Brief's creation "Not for your ears" as that was never picked up and it's been many years, I decided to write my own version. The words are all original but my idea is not. I'm only going to say that once. Other than that, enjoy!

* * *

Was this some sort of sick joke? As Bulma surveyed the grim scene before her, those words kept repeating in her head as if the steady mantra would somehow make it all go away. As it were, that did not happen, and she was cradling the broken body of her best friend as he struggled to take deep breaths. She was too overcome with shock to pay any attention to the man that stood before her, face indifferent to the crime he had just committed.

Oh, Kami, why? Yes, she couldn't ride on the nimbus, but was her heart so impure that the dragon thought she deserved a murderer for a prince? If only she had known that her impulsive wish would have such drastic results, but she had to do something to keep Emperor Pilaf from making his wish, and she might as well have gotten what she came for, right?

That's what she thought…but the moment _he_ appeared as a result and the dragon left, she knew something was very wrong indeed. With hair that resembled a flame and black eyes so cold it actually hurt to make eye contact, he resonated power…and evil. At first, he looked confused, but it was quickly replaced with anger and a, "What is the meaning of this?!"

He had incinerated Emperor Pilaf without any effort as soon as he dared to advance, and Goku, poor Goku, had jumped in front of Bulma protectively. He was so brave…and she didn't deserve it. Now, he was dying and there was nothing she or anyone present could do to stop it. The man, her "prince," had beaten Goku within an inch of his life, and what's worse, he didn't even look like he was trying.

And _he_ was just standing there, watching the scene with disinterest and perhaps mild amusement. Bulma couldn't fathom why he didn't finish Goku off in the same manner as he did Emperor Pilaf, but she wasn't about to complain. Why he didn't just finish them all off, Bulma didn't dare ask. She spared him a glance and found that he seemed to be calculating something.

Oolong, meanwhile, had transformed into a tiny beetle the moment the man appeared. Not that Bulma could blame him. She'd have done the same thing. But Oolong had senzu beans…and if Goku was to live, he was going to have to transform back and he was going to have to do it soon.

But before he could do anything, the deadly warrior in the blue and gold armor would have to get the hell out of there. Currently, he was standing there pressing this communication device on his head and repeating the words, "Nappa…Nappa!" It didn't look like he was planning on going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, he looked very confused at his surroundings, as Bulma expected he would be.

Damn her and her childish wants! Okay, so she had only really done it to stop Pilaf, but eventually, she would have made the wish, and this monster would have still shown up. What luck!

"You there!" he barked, suddenly looking in her direction. Bulma gulped and tried to inconspicuously slide away from him while still cradling her injured buddy. He frowned at the action and stalked over to her before she could move another inch. "Listen here, wench, I've got some questions for you and you are going to answer them."

"M-me?" she squealed. "What do I know?"

"How was it that I came to this planet? I'm quite certain it wasn't by technological means, so what magic caused this to happen?"

Bulma thought about the dragon balls. There was no way she was going to mention anything about them to this maniac, but she didn't know how else she would explain it. And then, even if she feigned ignorance, wouldn't he just kill her for not being of use to him? Suddenly, an idea dawned on her, and she ran with it.

"They're called dragonballs," she started.

"Bulma, no…" whispered Goku, in her arms. She looked down into his pitiful and bloody face for just a second, before winking at him and looking back up to the man in front of her.

"You gather all seven of them and then you summon the dragon. He'll grant you any wish that you want, as long as that same wish hasn't already been granted."

"Anything?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow. "So why am I here? Did someone wish for me?" His expression had turned dark once more, and Bulma gulped. Goodness, did this guy have to be so scary all of the time? She was rethinking her plan, already, but it was too late for that. She would have to stay strong and stick to it.

"Uh…well, I wished…for my prince," said Bulma, looking down in shame. "And then you showed up."

"Ha! Well, I am indeed a prince, but not the kind little girls would dream of." He began laughing and the evil quality to it sent chills down her spine. So he was a prince, but why did she deserve one so evil? And what was she supposed to do to get him to spare her friends?

"Well," he said, startling her from her thoughts, "I'll need these dragon balls. I have a wish I would like to make, myself."

"It's not that easy," said Bulma, softly. She shrieked as he grabbed her by her shirt, pulling her up to his face. Goku tumbled unceremoniously out of her lap, but there was nothing she could do about it right then. Instead, she looked into the face of her tormentor.

Bulma couldn't help her blush when she realized just how handsome he was. Before, she hadn't really been paying attention to him, but now that they were face to face, she couldn't ignore it.

He was quite tan, with dark eyes and hair that contrasted attractively. He had a sharp, but well-sized nose above a set of full, delicious-looking lips. And she could tell through his armor that he was packing quite a bit of muscle, despite his lean stature. In any other situation, she might have attempted to flirt, but she wasn't an idiot and she knew it wouldn't be received very well. The fact that his eyes had a fire in him that would send strong men running helped tame her thoughts as well.

"What do you mean, 'it's not that easy?' Do the blasted balls work or not?"

"Th-they work. It's just, once you've made a wish, you have to go find them all because the scatter all over the earth. Sometimes other people have found them and you have to fight. And sometimes they're in dangerous locations. Also, they need a year to recharge completely before you can make another wish."

"Then how did you manage to get them all?" he asked dangerously. Bulma swallowed. Here was where everything would all come together.

"I invented this device. The dragon radar. It tracks all of the balls, so that you can find them. All you have to do is follow the arrows…"

"Show me," he cut her off, impatiently. He dropped her and she stumbled over to her bag to pull out the dragon radar. She handed it to him and waited while he fiddled with it.

"How the devil do you work this thing?"

"I'm the only one who knows how to use it," said Bulma. He gave her a look, and she maintained her confident expression. There was no way she was going to give up that easily.

"Then teach me how to do it, as well." It was a dark command, laced with a thinly veiled threat. Fear crept its way into her heart, wrapping around it like a vine. Each beat felt constricted and she was suddenly finding it very difficult to breathe. Bulma knew what he was insinuating, but she was not going to help him until they came to an agreement.

"Listen. I know you'd just as soon kill me if I showed you how to use it. So you're going to have to keep me, and my friends, alive if you want to get your wish," said Bulma determinedly. For a few seconds he didn't move and neither did she. Her heart seemed like it wanted to make her well aware of the danger she was courting with every painful thud. Then an angry growl ripped from him so suddenly that she screamed and closed her eyes.

When she opened them, he was right in front of her. So close that she could smell him, and he smelled…spicy, somehow. Like cinnamon…and mint. Bulma didn't dare exhale. She kept the scent of him inside of her, swirling around and making her dizzy, until he spoke once more.

"You mean for yourself to accompany me to gather these balls, do you?" he asked. Bulma nodded in response. She didn't trust her voice.

"You do know, silly girl, that you are only prolonging the inevitable. Once we find these balls and I make my wish, I will destroy you, anyway. Just for being a nuisance. I've killed men for less, you know."

Bulma didn't say anything. Of course, she believed him completely. There was nothing about his tone that suggested he was lying to her, and she wouldn't be so foolish as to challenge him anyway. She did see what he did to Goku, after all.

"And how do you suppose you transport your broken comrade," he said, testily.

"Oolong," said Bulma, glancing at the stationary beetle. "I'd appreciate it if you transformed back now, so we can fix him."

With an auditory pop, the cowardly pig was standing before them. The man jumped back in surprise.

"What the fuck kind of planet is this?"

"A very strange one," said Bulma, walking over to him. "Senzu bean, please," she asked, holding her hand out. Oolong nodded and quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He handed her one.

"One left, Bulma," he said quietly. He also gave her a look that suggested that he thought she was absolutely out of her mind. She gave him a look back that said she didn't have any other plans and if he was so concerned, she was listening to other options.

"Here, Goku," she said. Bulma kneeled down next to her friend and place the senzu bean in his mouth so he could chew. He chewed and swallowed, then hopped up, shaking out the tension in his limbs.

"Thanks, Bulma," he said. "Thought I was a goner, there, for a moment."

"Me too, kid," she responded softly. With that, the three of them turned to face the prince. He was giving them all a very wary expression. "What?"

"You have talking animals that transform into beetles and magic beans that completely heal the wounded? As well as magical balls that grant wishes?" he asked incredulously.

Bulma shrugged. "You're going to see a lot weirder things than that, so you better get used to it."

"Very well," he snorted. "In what direction is the closest ball?" He peered over at Bulma as she stepped away to examine her radar. She wasn't going to have him looking over her shoulder the whole time. All the while, she didn't notice the curious and confused expression that had come over Goku's face.

"Hey," he said. "You have a tail, just like me." Bulma blanched as she swiveled to face them. It was then that she realized the furry belt he was wearing, was indeed a tail. He unfurled it from his waist and waved it about.

"That is the only reason I did not obliterate you completely, kid. It seems you and I are one in the same. Though why you are here, I know not."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you and I are both Saiyans. We hail from Planet Vegeta, and I am your Prince."

"So there are more, like me…I mean, like us?" asked Goku excitedly.

"Not really," he said softly. "Five that I'm aware of. Two more possibly, but as no one has heard or seen them in years, I cannot be certain."

"Well, what happened?"

"Drop it!" he snapped, suddenly, causing Bulma to drop the radar. They were going to have to be very careful to avoid this one's mood swings.

"Hey," she said, then. "What do we call you?"

"Vegeta. And listen to me, woman. I'm not interested in a band of children and animals following me around. You are the one who knows how to use that device, so you will be the only one accompanying me. Send the other two away."

"But…but, I can't just go off alone with you!" she protested.

"You will or you die," he answered, crossing his arms and turning away from them. Bulma turned to look at her friends. She motioned for them to come closer to her.

"Listen," she whispered. "I'll be alright for at least a year. Goku, just busy yourself with becoming stronger until that time. Then come find me. Oolong, stick with him and keep the Senzu bean on you, just in case."

She startled them by enveloping them both in a fierce hug. Feeling awkward, she stood up and wiped away a stray tear. "I'll see you soon," she mouthed.

"How touching…" Vegeta drawled. She whirled around to face him and shot him a nasty glare, not once thinking that she should watch herself. "Let's go, woman," he said, extending his hand. Bulma grabbed her bag and the dragon radar and walked over to him.

He extended a white-gloved hand. Bulma rolled her eyes and placed her hand in his. She was not prepared for the sudden way she was pulled flush against his muscled body or how nice it would feel to be pressed against him. She hadn't much experience with men at this point, and her stomach was flipping from the close contact. He did not seem as affected as they took off into the air. Bulma screamed.

"Shut your mouth," he snarled. Bulma did as he asked, but couldn't help the whimpers that were partly from her fear of heights and partly because she wasn't quite sure if she'd ever see her friends again.


	2. Chapter 2

Once they were far enough away from her friends, she supposed, Vegeta landed in a forest clearing. He sniffed the air and decided they were alone when he demanded for her to tell him the direction of the next dragon ball. Bulma hurried to get the dragon radar out of her backpack.

"Well, it seems that the closest one is about 300 miles away." He looked astonished at her information. "What?" asked Bulma. "This is a big planet."

"How big?"

"Well the circumference around the middle is roughly 25,000 miles, if I'm not mistaken." At this, he sat on a nearby rock and put his face in his hands. Bulma took a seat on the grass and waited for him to say something else.

"How long did it take you to find the dragon balls the last time?"

"A year and a half," said Bulma. "But we couldn't fly, so I don't know how long it will take us." She laid back on the grass and crossed her arms beneath her head. Her eyes were closed so she was quite surprised when she suddenly felt him standing over her. She opened one eye. "What?"

"Do you have anything to eat?" he questioned. Bulma sighed and sat up, reaching for her bag. She pulled out a capsule of food and threw it to the ground. Once the smoke cleared, she could see a large basket of bread and fruit and cheese.

"More magic?" he asked wryly.

"Nope, just another of my inventions," she responded. Vegeta sat down in front of her and picked up an apple, taking a large bite.

"Are you supposed to be some sort of genius?"

"I am a genius, in fact," she said proudly. "I also happen to be the most beautiful woman on the planet."

"Hn," he snorted. "Must have low standards of beauty."

"Oh yeah?" said Bulma. "So you're saying I'm not beautiful?"

"You're far too thin, wouldn't last a second in a fight. And you have ridiculous coloring." He said this all seriously, and Bulma couldn't help but feel offended. How dare he?

"Whatever," she huffed, getting up and walking a few paces away to sit down again. What a jerk, she thought. Bulma rustled through her back and found the capsule that had the beverages in it. She could really go for an energy drink to help her deal with this…prince.

"This dragon…" came his voice from a few feet away. Bulma didn't look up at him, supposing that he would continue when he was well and ready. "Is he a trickster, of sorts?"

"No," snapped Bulma. "Things happen as you wish for them. It's not a game." She studied her shoes for a few moments and listened to him crunching the apple. It was pleasant, she thought, then, to not have to hear him smacking as her Goku and Oolong would have.

"If that is the case…and you wished for _your_ prince as opposed to just _a _prince, why did it send me?" Bulma caught eyes with him as he looked over to her for answers. As if she knew. The dragon had never done anything by mistake or as punishment before, and this man was clearly evil. Heck, she was only alive because she was smart and could help him wish for whatever it was that he wanted.

"I wouldn't know," muttered Bulma finally. Was she supposed to win him over and make him love her? He wasn't even physically attracted to her, so there was no basis for them to start. If only she could call the dragon back just to ask him what the heck was up with all of this nonsense.

"I can't get any response on my scouter," he said then. Bulma offered him a sly glance as he fiddled with that thing attached to his face. Finally, he removed it and threw it to the side with frustration. As if sensing her unbidden gaze, he turned towards her.

If Bulma thought his eyes were dark before, she was in no way prepared for the sudden coil of heat that started in her belly when she caught his full on stare. She looked down and felt her face become hot in embarrassment. She could only hope that he had no idea what got her so quiet of sudden. He had a mean stare, but something about it made her feel as though he was looking at her naked. She shivered.

"S-so when are we going to head off?" asked Bulma. Vegeta looked towards the sky. It was starting to get darker already, and colder, too. They weren't far from the desert, after all, Bulma mused. She wondered how she would keep warm without Goku's chubby hugs. He was always hot to the touch and didn't mind sharing his heat. Bulma did not imagine Vegeta would be the same.

"At dawn, I suppose," he answered. Bulma nodded and began going through her bag again. She pulled out a capsule that had a sleeping bag and pillow on the inside. If only she still had her tent, but that was long gone. She sighed. There was no way this was going to keep her warm. And what was Vegeta going to do?

She glanced over him and caught him watching her prepare her makeshift bed out of the corner of his eyes. He looked curious. "It's a sleeping bag," she explained. "People use it when they go to a friend's house or for camping, sometimes."

Vegeta gave her a curt nod but said nothing. He grabbed a loaf of bread and began taking measured bites of it. She marveled at how different he was when eating. Goku would have shoveled everything into his mouth by now, but he was taking his time.

"Are you going to eat the rest of the food? Cause if not, I'll need to re-capsulate it so it won't go bad." Vegeta gathered another loaf of bread and some cheese and motioned for her to take care of the rest. Bulma recognized that she hadn't eaten for a while, but the excitement from the day had yet to wear off. She shrugged and encapsulated the food, so that she could settle down for the evening.

As she moved toward her bag she could just barely make out a tiny shiver from Vegeta. He was cold! Bulma bit her lip. He didn't look as if he would ask for her help, but maybe she had another blanket or something that she'd forgotten?

"Here," she said, handing him a thick blanket that was buried at the bottom in one of her forgotten capsules. "I don't have another sleeping bag, but this should keep you warm, at least. It's only going to get colder and I don't have a tent."

Vegeta took the blanket and walked off, causing Bulma to have a mini-heart attack. "Hey! Where are you going?" she squealed. He was before her in the blink of an eye.

"Will you shut your mouth?" he snapped, dumping some wood in the middle of the clearing. He raised a palm to it and set off a ki blast small enough to light the wood. Then he sat and pulled the blanket over him, facing away from her.

Bulma took off her shoes and slid into her sleeping bag. She wasn't tired, either. But she doubted he would be up for pillow talk. Besides, what does one converse about with a mass murdering alien prince?

It was the dead of the night and Bulma could never remember being so unbelievably cold. She was shivering so much that she couldn't hope to fall asleep and the sounds of the forest were keeping her up to boot. Not to mention, she'd grown accustomed to her friends and she missed them terribly. She tried to remind herself that it wouldn't be too long before she'd see them again.

Bulma snuggled into her sleeping bag further and tried to rub her legs together for warmth.

"Why are you making so much noise!" Bulma shrieked at the sound of his voice, almost having forgotten Vegeta was there. He was so still and quiet that it was easy to forget about him.

"I-I'm s-sorry, Vegeta. It's so co-cold." At her voice, he sat up abruptly, peering over at her. Bulma watched wide-eyed at his stare, only made more vicious in the moon-light. He stood and walked over to her, looking down with a strange sense of detachment.

Vegeta kneeled and took off one of his gloves and placed his hand on her face. Bulma started at how unbelievably warm he was. He frowned at the feel of her skin and rolled his eyes.

"Move over," he commanded.

"W-what?"

"I said, 'move over!'" he snapped. Bulma did as told and watched with horror as the Saiyan prince slid into her sleeping bag with her. She had only just realized that it was large enough for the both of them.

"Vegeta?" There was a question in her voice that Bulma was afraid to ask. Vegeta turned his back towards her in the bag.

"We can't have you freezing to death. I need someone who knows how to work that blasted invention of yours."

Oh. Bulma tried not to feel embarrassed. But it was so deliciously warm in her bag now that she couldn't help but feel content. She reached out and touched him out of instinct, rather than any thought and he flipped around in the bag, grabbing her wrist to the point that it hurt.

"Do not touch me. Ever." She heard the threat.

"Sorry," she murmured quietly. He stared her down for a few more seconds before letting her wrist go and turning back around. Bulma turned around in the bag as well to keep from accidentally reaching for him in the night. She cradled her sore wrist to her chest and let the first of many tears slip from her eye.

* * *

After a little while of fretting, Bulma finally let herself be lulled to sleep by Vegeta's warmth and his steady, even breathing. When she woke, it was because the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon, in her direction. Part of her wanted to turn away from it, but she didn't want to be facing Vegeta. She was still embarrassed over her little slip up the night before, and she didn't want to be reminded of it.

Vegeta stiffened, and then seemed to stretch, before sliding out of the sleeping bag. Bulma feigned sleep for a few more seconds before he pointedly nudged her with his boot. Bulma sighed and rolled her eyes, before shrugging the sleeping bag off of her. She tiredly rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn, wondering if she looked even worse to him this early in the morning. She patted her hair self-consciously.

"Get up, girl. It's time to head toward the first 'dragon ball,' as you called it," said Vegeta.

"Okay," said Bulma quietly, moving to encapsulate all of their things. She doused the fire and gathered up everything into one capsule and stuck it into her pack. Then, she stood awkwardly and waited for Vegeta to tell her what to do. She figured that they were going to fly again, but Bulma certainly wasn't going to hold her arms out for him to pick her up.

"In which direction is the nearest ball?" asked Vegeta. Bulma got out the dragon radar and checked it.

"Northeast," she answered, putting it back into her pack. Vegeta nodded and held his hand out to her once more. She took it, reluctantly, but it wasn't like she had a choice and was pulled close to him, once again.

"Get onto my back," he demanded, and Bulma complied. Once she tightened her legs around his waist, he lifted into the air and blasted in the proper direction. Bulma buried her face into his shoulders, in order to keep from looking at the ground, and once again, noticed his spicy scent. Knowing that he hadn't showered recently, she wondered how he was able to still smell so good. She was quite certain that she smelled like a dead rat. At least, he was polite enough not to point that out. Well, she thought, maybe not polite so much as disinterested.

He dipped a little and Bulma instinctively held him tighter. She thought again about why the dragon had saw fit to send her Vegeta. As far as she could tell, he was evil, a murderer, arrogant, and in no way attracted to her. He was currently planning on killing her once they found the dragon balls and ceased being useful. She wondered what he wanted them for, anyway. Not that he would ever tell her. It probably had something to do with taking over the world, or some other crazy evil scheme. Bulma sighed.

"What is your problem, now?" asked Vegeta, irritably.

"Nothing," said Bulma softly. Was he going to continue being so nasty for the entire year that they were together? Bulma realized quite suddenly that she might not even have a year. What if they found all the dragon balls before then? He certainly wasn't going to keep her around while they recharged. And from what it looked like, Goku would need all of that time in order to become anywhere near as strong as the other Saiyan. It was a solemn thought, realizing one's days were numbered. Maybe she could change his mind…?

She was useful in other ways. After all, she was a genius. Surely, she could offer him something to help him in some way. An invention to increase his strength or something. Who knew? She would have to think of something, and soon. If only she knew what he wanted.

"So," said Bulma casually, "what do you want to wish for?"

"None of your business," responded Vegeta acidly. Bulma frowned. Well, so much for that idea. Maybe he would let it slip sooner or later. But just from the little while she'd known him, he didn't seem like the type to make such an amateur mistake. Besides, he was the strong and silent type. She'd be lucky for any sort of conversation coming from his end. Especially if it wasn't in the form of commands.

Bulma decided to be silent for the rest of the flight, lest he change his mind and toss her to her death. She stifled a sigh, and settled for trying to determine the reason he'd been sent to her. He was a prince, yes, that much was certainly clear. But how was he _her_ prince? Sure, she was extremely physically attracted to him. Even now, despite the fact that she knew him to be evil and he had beaten her friend nearly to death, she felt butterflies in her stomach at their closeness. His body was strong, his muscles hard, and his eyes sent what she knew must be desire through her body.

And yet, he'd already promised to kill her. Bulma inwardly grimaced as she realized that she might be the type of person that got off on rough…stuff. The really kinky kind. She may not have been experienced, but she had read more than enough of her mother's romance novels and erotica. She had a general knowledge for how those things went. And besides, no matter what Bulma might feel at the moment, he was in no way going to look at her as anything more than a means to an end. If only she could figure out what exactly she was supposed to do.

Before too long, they were touching down. Bulma looked around uneasily, wondering how it could be possible that they had flown 300 miles in only, she checked her watch, two hours. Vegeta looked around, seeming as if he was checking for something. After a few moments, he nodded to himself and turned to face Bulma. She instinctively looked down as his eyes found hers, to keep herself from feeling that increasingly familiar tingle.

"Get out that invention of yours," he ordered. "It has been roughly 300 miles. It should be nearby." Bulma wondered how he could estimate that without looking at some sort of map, but then she realized his scouter must have some sort of navigation system. Or maybe he had some sort of internal navigation system. She rustled through her pack and got out the dragon radar.

It was showing that the dragon ball was very close, in fact, only a few feet away from where they were currently standing. She looked up, confused. There was nothing but dry rock around them, so where could it be hiding? Vegeta looked at her pointedly.

"It should be right around here," she said slowly.

"Woman, if that blasted device doesn't work…" he trailed off.

"It works!" she snapped. "It's probably underground or something." She walked to the exact spot that it should be, and turned to look at Vegeta. "You'll have to dig. It's been buried."

"I do not dig," stated Vegeta firmly.

"Fine!" yelled Bulma. "I'll do it myself." She made to get a capsule out of her pack, but screamed as Vegeta grabbed her wrist, pulling her right up to his face.

"Listen, woman. I do not know what has gotten into you, but if you think that you can speak to me like that, you are sorely mistaken. I am a prince, and I will not tolerate any insolence."

Bulma felt his breath gently touching her face and curled her toes. What was it about him that did this to her? She was supposed to be feeling scolded, and all she felt was a hot sort of excitement. She blushed and hoped that he thought it was because she was embarrassed and not aroused.

"Sorry," she whispered. He let her go abruptly and crossed his arms while she stumbled.

"Now get to it," he muttered.

She got out the proper capsule, the one with a shovel in it, and began to dig. Vegeta went and sat on a rock and watched her. It was about ten minutes before her shovel clinked on something hard. "Here it is!"

Vegeta stood and walked over to her, easily wrenching the round ball out of the dirt. "This looks like any old stone," he said dangerously.

"They look like that until they finish recharging," said Bulma. "Then they'll be orange and shiny with little red stars in them." Vegeta gave her a doubtful look. "What?" she exclaimed, "I'm not making this stuff up."

"You had better not be," he said coldly. Vegeta snatched the ball from Bulma and inspected it. "Fine, put it in one for your magic tubes."

"It's called a capsule. And I can't. The magic won't let me. I'll just have to put it in my pack."

"Whatever, just put it away." He didn't look at her as he issued his command, and Bulma felt her lips tighten into a scowl. But since she did not want a repeat of what happened a few minutes ago, she decided to let it go. Besides, giving him attitude was surely not the way to change his mind about killing her, now was it?

She glanced at the prince, noting that he looked as if he was smelling something peculiar. After a moment, he gave her a brief glance.

"Water," he said. Bulma blinked. Water? What was that supposed to mean? She dug around in her pack for a water bottle to hand to him, only to have him smack it from her hands. "No, you idiot. There's water nearby!"

Bulma forgot to be indignant. Good Kami, she needed a bath. "Where?" she asked excitedly. He walked away from her, and she followed until she could hear the stream as well. She also tried not to notice the way the muscles in his back rippled powerfully, or the deadly way he moved, as if he was tracking something down. Before her imagination could run away from her, Vegeta moved aside and she saw the stream.

"Oh, thank Kami!" She immediately dug through her pack and got out some eco-friendly soap and a white cloth. Finally! She could wash away the grime of the last week or so. Bulma stilled when she realized Vegeta was still nearby. She certainly wasn't going to strip down right in front of him, no matter how handsome she thought he was. "Um, Vegeta, if you don't mind…"

To her surprise, he simply snorted and turned his back to her, sitting down. His tail flicked about behind him, lazily, and she supposed that it was as good as she was going to get. Bulma proceeded to remove her clothes, and stepped daintily into the flowing stream. She hurriedly washed the dirt and grime from skin and then dunked to get the sweat out of her blue tendrils. As she came up, she chanced a glance at Vegeta, who was still sitting very still with his back turned. Wouldn't he want to wash up as well?

After a few more minutes, Bulma got out of the stream and dried herself the best she could with a random t-shirt she had in her pack. She put her clothes back on and sprayed herself once with a little mist, just to freshen up. "I'm done!"

Vegeta stood up then, "Good." He proceeded to take off his gloves and then his boots, and Bulma realized he intended to have a wash after all. She sputtered indignantly, at the fact that he was about to strip down right in front of her without any warning. Bulma made to walk off, but he was right in front of her in less than a second.

"Don't go anywhere. Just sit down with your back turned like I did, if you're so offended," he spat. Bulma reddened in embarrassment at being chastised, but did as he said. She was still wary about what happened the last time she mouthed off, and didn't want to give him a reason to have to touch her. She nodded at him to let him know that she wouldn't try anything. Seemingly satisfied, he went back towards the stream.

Bulma sat down, as instructed, and fiddled her thumbs. She heard him shuffling behind her and heard the water moving as he went into its gentle current. Part of her wanted to peek back at him, just to see if his body was as beautiful as she thought. And besides, she was curious. She hadn't yet seen a man in his full glory yet, and she wondered if it was as good as the books described.

She could hear him moving around in the water for a while, before everything went silent. Bulma sat still for a few more moments, before curiosity got the best of her and she chanced a quick glance over her shoulder. To her surprise, Vegeta was nowhere to be seen. She turned around fully then, standing up. Had he left her?

Bulma began to panic. She didn't really know where she was and didn't have a reliable way to get around. Somehow, in the midst of things, Vegeta had become the lesser of two evils. She stopped short, realizing his suit was still on the ground. Bulma gasped, looking around slowly. Surely…he wasn't wandering about in the nude, was he?

Suddenly the water moved and Vegeta lurched up. Bulma started to shriek but caught herself as she watched the water drip down his bronzed, _perfected, _body. By god, she had never seen a more beautiful man. She blinked as spatters of water hit her when he shook out his hair, and opened her eyes to see his dark stare looking right into hers. He offered her a slow, sure smirk, and Bulma realized that she would never be able to look at him again for her embarrassment.

* * *

AN: I hope you guys are enjoying it thus far. I'm still getting the hang of posting. Please feel free to let me know if you have comments/criticisms/suggestions!

Thanks,

Preciousblue


	3. Chapter 3

"I thought I told you to turn around, woman," he said quietly. Bulma couldn't quite place the tone in his voice, but she decided that she didn't like it.

"I thought you left. I was looking for you."

"You thought I left without my clothing?" Bulma didn't have to look at him to realize that he was smirking as he said it.

"Well, I just noticed the clothes were still there when…" she trailed off, blushing hopelessly. How on Earth was she ever going to get the image out of her head? And did she even want to? Bulma stood stock still as she heard him rustling behind her, presumably putting his clothes back on. She didn't turn around even when he stopped moving, just to be sure.

"Well, woman. Where is the next dragon ball?" he asked, no nonsense once more. Bulma was pleased to see that he didn't intend on teasing her with the knowledge that she'd just seen him in all his naked glory. She dug out the dragon radar and turned it on.

"It's…67 miles west of here. And…it's moving."

"Why would it be moving?"

"Either someone has it, or it's rolling on something." Bulma sighed. She just hoped whoever had it wasn't a good guy. Vegeta probably wouldn't hesitate to obliterate anyone who got in his way. Bulma wasn't sure she was ready to witness it. Vegeta slid his gloves back on, and held a hand out to her. Well, she thought as she placed a hand in his, here we go again.

* * *

After approximately twenty minutes of flying, they came upon an old beat up truck that was meandering down a dirt road. Bulma immediately felt her throat clench up in fear, her instinct telling her that something bad was about to happen. She didn't think that whoever was driving the truck would be a threat to her. No, she was more afraid of the threat whose back she was currently clinging to for dear life. "Maybe you should let me handle it? It is an earthling after all."

Unnervingly, Vegeta said nothing as he lowered them to the ground directly in front of the truck, which came to a prompt stop. Bulma could see the look of confusion and concern on the face of the older gentlemen, and swallowed nervously. She stepped towards the truck as the old man got out. "You alright there, dearie?" he asked.

"Yes," said Bulma. "We don't mean to be a nuisance, but I think you have something that belongs to us. It'd be a little orange ball with some stars in it."

The man scratched his head. "Don't think I've seen anything like that. I've been driving for the last hour or so, though. You sure you've got the right guy."

Bulma nodded and pulled out her dragon radar. The ball was definitely here, all right. She glanced back at Vegeta, who stood with arms folded and an annoyed expression. She walked around the truck and saw the ball, resting in the middle of a stack of hay towards the corner of the truck. It'd probably been sitting there the past few nights unnoticed by the gentleman in question.

"Here it is!" she said too excitedly. She grabbed the ball and moved toward Vegeta, thanking the old man for his patience. But instead of extending his hand toward her as usually, Vegeta moved a step closer to the old man and made a move to blast him. Bulma yelped and ran in front of the older gentleman and shielded him with her body.

"No. You can't hurt people! I…I won't help you anymore if you do. You need me, and I'll refuse to work the radar for you!"

"Get out of the way, woman! People will come here looking for me, and I cannot leave any traces behind."

"NO! He doesn't even know your name! He's just an old man who lives out in the country, no one is going to think to ask him about your whereabouts." As she spoke, Vegeta's palm began to glow blue and she began to shake but didn't move. Instead, she stared him down. If this was her time to go, then it was her time to go. Bulma closed her eyes.

"Damn woman," cursed Vegeta. "Come on, then, I don't have all day." He reached for her and roughly yanked her onto his back without sparing another glance to their audience. Bulma fumbled with the dragon ball for a second, then firmly held it to her chest as best she could in her awkward position.

Bulma had a feeling that things weren't fine, because he hadn't bothered to ask her where the next one was before lifting off. She figured he just wanted to get her alone for a moment, because she could see the fury in his eyes at being defied and knew that she would pay for so openly opposing him.

Vegeta touched down, gently, one boot first and waited for Bulma to slide off of his back. He stayed silent as she put the dragon ball in her pack and Bulma braced herself. She looked up into Vegeta's black gaze and it was all she could do to keep from shaking. There was no desire mixed in with her fear this time. She was afraid Vegeta had decided to hell with the dragon balls and was going to blast her right here and now.

When a few moments passed without him saying anything, Bulma tried to speak. "Vegeta?"

"Shut up," he snapped. "It is taking all I have not to snap your neck this very instant. How dare…" he trailed off, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, in an attempt to control himself. "How dare you defy me, the Prince of all Saiyans, in front of another person?

"I've dealt with your attitude, and it is trying enough when we are alone. But to show such utter disrespect, and blatant disregard for me in front of a male… Do you care nothing for your own miserable life?"

"Vegeta…"

"Shut. Up. You are seriously testing my patience, and I just might snap." As he said this, he clenched and unclenched his fist, and Bulma unconsciously took a wary step back. The next thing she knew, Vegeta had grabbed her shirt and pulled her close to him. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm…I wasn't going anywhere." "That's right, you weren't going anywhere. You weren't so scared just a few minutes ago. Where did all that bravery go, little woman?" Every word sent puffs of his breath ghosting across Bulma's face, and she almost forgot how to breathe. The desire was back and with full force, and there was nothing she could do about it. On the one hand, Vegeta scared her, and on the other, she liked the power he exerted. Something deep down told her that she was sick and needed help, but that did nothing to stop her stomach from clenching in anticipation.

"I," she tried to speak, "it didn't go anywhere. I just didn't want him to die…my life didn't seem so important right then." Bulma closed her eyes as Vegeta twisted her shirt, pulling her even closer. For someone who had warned her so dangerously about touching him, he certainly didn't seem to have a problem invading her personal space. Not that she minded.

"You are the most ridiculous creature I've ever come across," said Vegeta. "Are others of your species just as self-sacrificing?"

"Not all of us," said Bulma, confused. She was having a hard time figuring out if Vegeta was still angry with her, or simply confused. He was still frowning, but then again, he didn't seem to do much else. Well…except for that wicked smirk he gave her when she saw him unclothed. And with that thought, Bulma was flooded with another rush of desire so strong that it made her wriggle her legs together to alleviate the sensation.

And suddenly, Vegeta had buried his face in her neck inhaling deeply. Bulma froze, her body tightening at the feel of his lips brushing against her skin in his haste. Her mind flustered, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for his actions. She felt his other hand go to her lower back, pulling her flush against his body. Bulma opened her mouth to say something, but faltered as she felt his tail slide up the back of her calf.

"Why is it that every time I scold you, I can smell your desire?" asked Vegeta silkily. Bulma could have died right then and there. Half because she knew that he had been smelling her this whole time, and half because at his words, she felt herself grow wet, something that had never happened before she interacted with him. "Do you like being punished?"

"N-no," said Bulma hurriedly. Did she? "I don't know. I…I can't help," oh Kami, of all the embarrassing things that had ever happened to her. How was she to look at him ever again? "I can't help it. It's…I've never felt…" she trailed off, not knowing how to explain herself.

Vegeta pulled back from her neck, setting his coal black eyes on her. Bulma tried to lower her face or look away, but Vegeta held her face still, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes landed on his lips for a millisecond, before glancing back up to his eyes in the hopes that he hadn't noticed.

"You've never had a male, have you?" he asked, almost as if he was certain of her answer.

"No," whispered Bulma. Bulma had the horrified thought that he was going to take advantage of her, followed by more hot coiling deep in her lower abdomen. Oh Kami, why? Why was she so depraved? She closed her eyes, knowing that Vegeta knew now, and he'd always know.

"Look at me, little one." And Bulma did, breath hitching at what she saw. Vegeta's usually cold and angry eyes were half-lidded and filled with what she could only guess was lust. He leaned into her almost imperceptibly, but Bulma's senses were so heightened that she noticed it immediately. Then, just as suddenly, Vegeta let her go, stepping back and shook himself to regain his composure. "Locate the other dragon ball."

Bulma blinked, confused. It was over? Even as she dug through her back to find the dragon radar, she was shaking her head. Vegeta had to be the most confusing person she'd ever met in her entire life. One minute, he was angry, the next, lustful, and the next, cold. She'd never be able to keep up with him. But if he was going to act like this had never happened, then damn it, so was she!

"The closest one is approximately 2500 miles west." As she said this, Vegeta came to stand beside her, peering over her shoulder at the thing.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes…this is a big planet, remember?" Bulma replied. Vegeta hovered a few seconds longer than what she felt was necessary, but she didn't dare make eye contact. Not if he was going to be so…indifferent.

"Then we will make camp for the night and begin in the morning," said Vegeta. Bulma looked up at the setting sun, and nodded her acquiescence. She prodded the ground, and found that it was dry enough to make for a comfortable bed for her sleeping bag. As she was digging around, she knocked out a capsule she didn't realize she had. Bulma let out a triumphant yell that caused Vegeta to look at her in disdain.

"I found the capsule with the tent! I thought I'd lost it," she explained. Bulma resisted the urge to do a victory dance, seeing as she'd embarrassed herself enough for the day. Vegeta simply shook his head at her, and stood to the side, arms folded. Bulma decided to ignore him and set to putting up the tent. She was so happy that not even the Prince of all Jackasses could get her down.

It took roughly twenty minutes for her to finish setting up the tent, no thanks to Vegeta, who just stood there eyeing her warily. It was if he'd never seen one before, Bulma thought. She ducked down and went inside to lay out her sleeping bag. As she was fluffing her pillow to get ready for bed, the tent rustled and she looked up to see Vegeta ducking his way into the tent. Bulma shivered. Something about seeing Vegeta entering the tent as if he belonged there, caused butterflies to enter her stomach.

Bulma looked back down at her pillow, determined not to make eye contact. "Do you need your blanket?" she asked, determined to keep her voice steady. When Vegeta didn't respond, Bulma finally peeked, startled to see his intense stare directed at her.

"Am I not good enough to share your bed, tonight?"

"I-I didn't say…what are you suggesting?" asked Bulma, flabbergasted. Vegeta chuckled darkly.

"I believe we shared a bed last night, did we not? And now you are relegating me to a simple blanket." Vegeta moved fully into the tent. "Well, I say no."

"Well, I'll take the blanket, then," snapped Bulma. He was not going to bully her into sleeping with him!

"You will not. I believe we've grown far too intimate for you to begin acting shy. Besides, what are you afraid of? I'm not the one whose…urges are not under control."

Bulma reddened. How dare he imply that…that she would even consider! Bulma had every mind to storm out of the tent right then and there but he was not going to scare her off. So instead, she harrumphed and kicked off her shoes, settling into the sleeping bag, back towards him. She heard the door of the bag being zipped up, and for some reason, even though they were totally alone before, Bulma began feeling nervous.

She listened intently as Vegeta pulled off his boots, and then his gloves. The second she felt the sleeping bag move, she stiffened, clamping her eyes shut. If she could just ignore him, then everything would be just fine. Vegeta slid into the bag behind her, and Bulma stiffened even more, if that was possible. She would ignore him, she would ignore him.

After a few moments, Bulma realized that Vegeta wasn't up to any funny business. She had no idea if he was facing her back or the opposite direction, since he wasn't close enough that she could feel his body. Part of her wanted to peek over her shoulder just to see, but the fear that she would make eye contact while so close to him stopped her from doing so. Instead, Bulma tried to fall asleep, but found that she couldn't. About twenty minutes passed with no such luck before she found herself wiggling out of the sleeping bag, intending on getting some fresh air.

"Where are you going?" asked Vegeta. His was soft, as if he'd just woken up, and it was disconcerting, to say the least. He caught her by her ankle and pulled her back in, sitting up groggily.

"I just wanted to get some air," explained Bulma. Vegeta rubbed his eyes, and Bulma looked at his hands. They were surprisingly well manicured, but she supposed that was what the gloves were for. Bulma looked up and realized that he was fully awake, and had slid the top of his body suit to his waist, leaving his bronzed chest suddenly very bare.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, then. Bulma frowned at him, realizing that he was only not being a complete bastard because he had just woken up and hadn't had time to remember who she was. She'd enjoy it while it lasted.

"No," she responded. Vegeta pulled her closer to him, ignoring the way Bulma stiffened.

"Get back in the bag. It's too dark for you to be wandering about." Vegeta leaned backwards, pulling her over him. Bulma scowled and went around him, sliding back in. She did not take kindly to being told what to do, but knew there was nothing she could do about it.

As she did, however, Vegeta pulled her into his warmth, lightly rubbing her back with his free hand. She stared wide-eyed at Vegeta, whose eyes were already closed.

"Vegeta?"

"Go to sleep, woman." His voice sent little chills down her spine, intensified by his touch. Bulma finally relaxed, sighing and moving into him. If he was willing to offer comfort, she was going to take it. She certainly wasn't going to get any from anywhere else any time soon.

* * *

Okay, so it's been a while since I updated. I've a lot more written than this, but I didn't really like the way this chapter read. Still don't know if I'm happy with it, but here it is. I'm not great at writing anything besides the romance parts, so I tend to have a hard time when I need to focus on something other than Bulma/Vegeta interaction.


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